SmartClose, (updated February 3, 2010), can close all running programs which can interrupt high-end tasks, such as playing processor intensive games where frames per second is a critical issue, burning CD/DVDs, defragmenting a Hard Drive, recovering files, shredding free disk space, and so on.

If you like to test drive new software applications, then you know that virtually all application installers recommend closing all running applications to minimize conflicts, and to avoid replacing in-use files.

Closing running applications manually can often be time consuming, particularly if you are a power user with 5 or 6 programs running at the same time. To raise the frustration quotient further, once you have closed all these programs, you then have to re-launch each closed application just to recover where you were.

SmartClose has been developed to eliminate this frustration, by automatically closing all running programs, disabling the screen saver, and shutting down running processes that can disrupt your new task.

Running SmartClose, with its five-icon interface, tool-tips, and wizards, is dead simple. When your task has been completed, restoring the applications you closed is straightforward, since SmartClose saves a system snapshot which can easily restore the machine’s previous condition.

Power users especially, will be glad they have this neat little application in their utility toolbox.

Fast facts:

Two wizards: the Close Programs wizard, for closing all the programs, and the Restore wizard, to restore a system snapshot.

With SmartClose-technology, most programs can be properly closed, so that the program can save its settings, and return memory and resources, to the system.

In the rare cases where a program can’t be properly closed, SmartClose can use SmartKill to kill the program.

Protected Programs option.

Closes Explorer and Internet Explorer windows, and saves their current location for restoration.

Disables and restores the screen saver.

It’s important to understand, that this application will not close antivirus and firewall software, since these programs are hardened against “unauthorized” shut down. This is standard antimalware protection built into firewalls and antimalware applications.

Been using SmartClose for a number of years on Win XP and found it great for quickly closing programs. One caveat – it is not so good at reopening from a system snapshot so best to reboot once tasks completed.

Bill,
Very cool, I’ll have to try this one out. BTW I noticed Sandboxie now has a 64 bit version, I did think that could happen because of Patchguard kernal protection. I’m curious how he got around this “legitimately”.
Mark

This app is way below your pay grade, but fun to tinker with. I’ve been thinking about your Patchguard question, and I must admit, it’s a puzzler. I do know that many of the top AV developers have managed to get around the kernel patching question, although some are still bitching about it – others are using device drivers to deal with the issue. I wasn’t aware though that Sandboxie was x64 compatible – thanks for that info.